On Fri, 16 Jul 2010 17:05:22 -0700 (PDT), J
wrote:

Hi. An ignorant civilian here with a question. I've never been in or
near a helicopter.

The May 2010 USNI Proceedings (pg. 78) mentions that "[t]he Navy's
H-72A's have several specific equipment additions, including
jettisonable cockpit doors...." I can understand jet fighters have
jettisonable cockpit canopies but I'm having trouble imagining
circumstances in which a helicopter would need to have jettisonable
cockpit doors. Can someone please clue me in?

Thansk . . . J

When I was aboard INTREPID one of our helo squadron, HS-11, pui one
into the water. The co-pilot was a buddy of mine, know affectionately
as "Dirty John" (he had a date with every single woman in RI...once
:-) ).

I was watching the PLAT when it happened. The helo went in upright
and immediately flipped inverted. The sponson floatation bags
inflated as advertised. He said that he waited 'till the bubbles
cleared (just like in the Dilber Dunker), disconnected his head set,
released his harness, and pulled the door jetteson handle. Nothing
happened. He pulled harder, and nothing happened. Then he pulled as
hard as he could. Nothing happend. At that point he got worried.
Then he membered that the main door was open so he swam back through
the fuselage and went out that way. He said if the floatation bags
had not worked he would probably not have made it.

So, yes, the ability to jetteson the doors is important.